A Pattern Language for Blockchain Governance

Blockchain technology has emerged as a transformative innovation in various sectors, including e-commerce. Effective blockchain governance plays a pivotal role in enhancing user satisfaction by ensuring security, transparency, and efficiency in online transactions. However, despite its growing adoption, many e-commerce platforms face challenges in implementing governance models that fully address user expectations and technological complexities, revealing a significant gap in the literature. This study investigates the impact of blockchain governance models on e-commerce user satisfaction, with a specific focus on mediating variables such as data privacy and system trust, and moderating variables such as user technology readiness. The study employs the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method using SmartPLS software to analyze relationships between variables. Data was collected through a survey of 135 respondents, consisting of e-commerce users familiar with blockchain technology. The Result reveals that blockchain governance significantly impacts data privacy and system trust, which, in turn, influence perceived ease of use and user satisfaction. Additionally, user technology readiness moderates the relationship between blockchain governance and perceived ease of use, highlighting its importance in adoption. The Novelty of this study lies in its integration of governance frameworks with mediating and moderating variables to holisticallyaddress e-commerce user satisfaction, an area underexplored in prior research. The conclusion emphasizes the need for e-commerce platforms to adopt robust blockchain governance frameworks to improve user satisfaction and gain a competitive advantage. This study contributes to the literature on blockchain applications in e-commerce and provides practical recommendations for enhancing governance and user experience.

Satisfying the world’s rapidly increasing demands in energy via the optimized management of available resources is becoming one of the most important research trends worldwide. When it comes to energy, it is very important to talk about decentralization, security, traceability and transparency. Thus, over the last few years, numerous research works have presented blockchain technology as the best novel business platform enabling a secure, transparent and tamper-proof energy management solution. In this paper, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) using the PRISMA framework of the different existing research studies related to the use of the blockchain technology in the energy sector, published between 2008 and 2021. We identified a total of 769 primary studies after intensive manual analysis and filtering, which we thoroughly assessed using various criteria to address six main research questions that covered the blockchain types, applications and platforms in the energy sector, the energy source types for which blockchain platforms are implemented, the emergent technologies that are combined to blockchain solutions, and the types of consensuses used in energy blockchains. Based on the collected survey data, we built a database to categorize the existing research works, identify research trends, and highlight knowledge gaps and potential areas for additional field study.

For companies using blockchain technology, it is critical to select the most suitable blockchain platform to develop enterprise applications. However, it is still a challenge for enterprises. As an important part of modern decision science, multi-criteria decision-making can well solve the problem of blockchain platform selection. Blockchain platforms integrate various blockchain technologies, and enterprises also need to consider multiple different criteria in the decision-making process. Therefore, this paper will use a heterogeneous multi-criteria decision-making method to solve the blockchain platform selection problem. First, the blockchain platform alternatives and evaluation criteria used for decision-making are identified. Second, blockchain platform alternatives are evaluated with appropriate fuzzy numbers based on defined evaluation criteria. Then, the original evaluations are consistency and normalized to obtain a normalized evaluation. Next, the improved information content formulas of the axiomatic design is proposed to obtain the information content of each normalized evaluation. Then, the weights of all evaluated criteria are obtained using the entropy weight method. Finally, the total weighted information content of each blockchain platform alternative is obtained. With validation, the decision-making model of blockchain platform proposed in this paper has a strong reference value.

Improving supply chain sustainability is an essential part of achieving the UN’s sustainable goals. Digitalization, such as blockchain technology, shows the potential to reshape supply chain management. Using distributed ledger technology, the blockchain platform provides a digital system and database to record the transactions along the supply chain. This decentralized database of transactions brings transparency, reliability, traceability, and efficiency to the supply chain management. This paper focuses on such novel blockchain-based supply chain management and its sustainability performances in the areas of environmental protection, social equity, and governance efficiency. Using a systematic literature review and two case studies, we evaluate whether the three sustainability indicators can be improved indirectly along supply chains based on blockchain technology. Our study shows that blockchain technology has the potential to improve supply chain sustainability performance, and we expect blockchain technology to rise in popularity in supply chain management.

Blockchain is an emerging technology based on the digital ledger in the distributed system. The decentralized trust is one of its prominent features that ensures better transparency. Blockchain-based systems also enhance data integrity, confidentiality, and anonymity by eliminating third-party involvement in completing the transactions. Many SLRs have been published related to blockchain recently, but no comprehensive and systematic study on blockchain platforms has been conducted. So, there is a need for an organized and systematic review of blockchain platforms. This paper has reported a systematic literature review on existing blockchain platforms. We have formulated two research questions to determine the major frameworks used to implement blockchain-based systems and how they differ in implementation and operation. We have identified eighty-five blockchain platforms. To provide‎‎ comprehensive insights on blockchain platforms, we ‎identified related technologies and provided a map for ‎further ‎research development on blockchain technology.‎

Cryptocurrencies, as a part of decentralized financial system and powered by distributed ledger technology is the future of finance. Although no one is responsible for the ledger, no one can control or falsify the claims made through blockchain technology. Cryptocurrencies backed by blockchain are transformative technology and a forerunner of virtual monetary system. Cryptocurrencies are created out of perceived ‘privacy’ need and drive to exit government intermediaries and financial institutions as a regulator of financials. Thus, Government should focus on timely policy planning, implementation and governance of blockchain and virtual currencies so as to prevent halt in data economy.

Delegated blockchain governance is the frontier of blockchain design issues that is to improve the scalability of blockchain networks. Delegated proof of stake (DPoS) blockchains such as EOS must select a few super nodes for transaction verification. In particular, the blockchain community has debated recently on whether dividend should be allowed when electing super nodes, which might be considered as unethical or unfair, leading to an open research topic and a new research gap that has theoretical value for both academia and industry. In this paper, we build a theoretical framework to study how dividend affects user decisions and welfare in a DPoS blockchain. Based on game theory, we propose a three-player Hotelling model with two policies to study the behaviors of voters and candidates. We first use a static game analysis to show that the benefits of dividend for voters and for candidates vary with the size of reward and there exists an interval, in which the zero dividend policy would be good for the welfare of both candidates and voters. Then, we use an evolutionary game analysis to examine the process dynamics of super node selection, we find that the campaign strategy of candidates has to do with the size of platform reward given to the candidates by the blockchain platform. Especially in the asymmetric case, we find that higher level of platform reward turns to benefit candidates with large number of votes even more. Our findings are instrumental for designing dividend policies in DPoS blockchains and can stimulate more potential research in blockchain governance.

إنشاء عقود المعاملات وتنفيذها بين الطرق التقليدية وتقنية (البلوک تشين) والعقود الذکية- دراسة فقهية مقارنة أحمد سعد علي البرعي قسم الشريعة الإسلامية، کلية الدراسات الإسلامية والعربية للبنين، جامعة الأزهر، القاهرة، جمهورية مصر العربية. البريد الإلکتروني: dr_ahmed_saad78@yahoo.com ملخص البحث: تعد تقنية (بلوک تشين) من أهم تقنيات الثورة الصناعية الرابعة التي ستقود اقتصاديات العالم في السنوات القادمة، والتي لاقت رواجا واسعا في عالم المال والاقتصاد منذ بداية ظهورها، حتى تسارعت کثير من الدول الآن إلى الاستفادة منها في مجالات عدة، أبرزها مجال الذکية؛ حيث مکنت تلک التقنية الأفراد من إجراء عقودهم المالية وصفقاتهم التجارية بطريقة مباشرة عن طريق الند للند دون الحاجة إلى توسيط أي جهة مرکزية في المعاملة، وذلک عن طريق التمثيل الرقمي للممتلکات والأصول المالية في صورة رموز وأکواد تشفيرية مضمنة في منصات بلوک تشين يمکن نقلها بين المستخدمين بصورة آمنة وفاعلة وموثوقة، الأمر الذي مکن مستخدمي هذه الشبکات من إنشاء عقود ذکية فيما بينهم، تتولى شبکات البلوک تشين تنفيذها بطريقة آلية لا يتدخل فيها بشر؛ حيث يتم فيها- أوتوماتيکيا- نقل أصل الملکية بين أطراف المعاملة وفق بنود العقد الذي برمجوه وضمنوه في شبکة البلوک تشين، ويتم بعد ذلک تسجيل العقد وتخزين ما اقتضاه من معاملات في الشبکة بطريقة مشفرة لا يمکن لأحد أن يتلاعب فيها بمحو أو تعديل أو تزوير مهما طال الزمن، الأمر الذي سيغير في المستقبل القريب من صورة العقود والمعاملات المالية التي تجري بين الناس الآن في جميع مراحلها، بدءا من مرحلة إبرام العقد، ومرحلة توثيقه (حيث تقوم تلک الشبکات بتوثيق العقد وإشهاد جميع المستخدمين عليه، بدلا من توثيقه وتسجيله بالطرق التقليدية في الجهات المرکزية المختصة)، وانتهاء بمرحلة تنفيذه (حيث تتولى تلک الشبکات مسؤولية تنفيذ بنود العقد ونقل أصول الملکيات بين أطرافه بصورة آلية ذاتية تعمل وفق البرمجة التي اتفق عليها الطرفان وضمنوها داخل تلک المنصات)، وقد هدفت من هذه الدراسة تسليط الضوء على تلک التقنية الجديدة، ببيان ماهيتها، ونشأتها، وخصائصها، وطريقة عملها، مقارنا في ذلک بين العقود التقليدية التي جرى عليها العمل عند الفقهاء، وبين هذه العقود الذکية التي ستحل محلها في المستقبل القريب، منتهيا ببيان الرأي الفقهي في هذه النازلة. Designing Transactions Contracts and their Execution in between the traditional ways, the technology of (Blockchain) and Smart Contracts A Jurisprudential Study By: Ahmed Saad Ali Al- Boraee Department of Islamic Sharia Faculty of Islamic and Arabic Studies for Men in Cairo Azhar University E-mail : dr_ahmed_saad78@yahoo.com Abstract The technology of the blockchain is considered one of the most important technologies of the fourth industrial revolution which would lead the world economies in the following years, and which has widely flourished in the world of economy and finance since its early presence to the extent that many countries hastened to benefit from it in many fields. The most outstanding fields are where this technology enabled individuals to carry out their financial contracts and commercial bargains directly through peer- to- peer deals without resorting to any central authority as broker in the transaction. Such process runs through having digital representation of properties and financial assets in the form of symbols and decipherable codes included in blockchain platforms that can be transferred safely, effectively and trustworthily in between users. Such matters enabled the users of those networks to design smart contracts in between them. Blockchains networks take upon themselves executing them automatically as no human being is allowed to interfere since ownership assets are automatically transferred in between the two parties of the transaction in accordance with the articles of the contract which has been programmed and included in the network of blockchain. After that the contract is registered and saved in accordance with the requirements of transactions in a coded way through the network. None could manipulate this affair either by removing, modifying or even forging them along the years. Soon in the future, this affair would change the form of contracts and financial transactions running in between people in all phases; starting from the phase of signing the contracts, the phase of documentation (where those networks document the contract and all the users would testify instead of documenting and registering the contract via the specified central authorities in the traditional ways), till the phase of execution (where those networks take on the responsibility of executing the articles of the contract and transferring the assets in between the contracting parties through an automation that works in accordance with a certain programming approved by the two parties and included within those platforms). Therefore, this research is originally designed to highlight this new technology, its essence, origins, characteristics and its mechanism. The research also holds a comparison between the traditional contracts as identified by jurists and these smart contracts which will replace them soon in the future. Finally, the research concludes with the jurisprudential viewpoint regarding this mishap.

This study applies Stackelberg game theory to analyze and compare optimal operational strategies in four supply chain finance scenarios: traditional trade financing (TI), trade financing through the blockchain platform (BI), traditional external financing (TE), and external financing through the blockchain platform (BE). The main findings are as follows: First, the adoption of the blockchain platform reduces the interest rate threshold, making external financing more advantageous for retailers with higher capital constraint. Further, financing through the blockchain platform leads to higher wholesale prices, retail prices, and order quantities compared to traditional financing scenarios. Second, internal trade financing and the use of blockchain technology are preferred over external bank financing. However, conducting external bank financing through the blockchain platform yields greater profit growth for manufacturers and retailers. Accessing the blockchain platform is the optimal strategy for retailers and banks, leading to a favorable “multi-win” situation when the manufacturer’s platform fees are reasonable. Third, the manufacturer’s risk guarantee ratio plays a crucial role in determining the choice of financing mode, particularly when the retailer faces the risk of debt default. This study contributes to the literature by quantifying the impacts of blockchain technology deployment for three aspects that have been overlooked in previous studies: the set-up cost and access fee of the blockchain platform, the service level provided by the platform, and the demand increase resulting from blockchain technology adoption.

Blockchain systems are a novel technology that allow for innovative business models. However, due to the decentralized nature of blockchains, new organizational challenges arise. Blockchains require intricate governance mechanisms to align all interests of the involved stakeholders. A crucial part of blockchain governance is decision-making, i.e., the way how a community of a blockchain system can reach decisions. While blockchain governance has received considerable interest of academia, decision-making in blockchains has not yet been sufficiently addressed. Through an exploratory multiple case study, we establish a framework for analyzing decision-making in blockchain systems and identify two dimensions along which decision-making in blockchains can be classified—namely community-driven vs. institution-driven as well as off-chain vs. on-chain decision-making. Even though blockchains are decentralized systems, we can show that there are often highly centralized elements present. The degree of this centralization varies across blockchains and might be connected to the business cases and origins of the different systems. Furthermore, many factors of decision-making processes in blockchains are still off-chain and only some factors are truly on-chain. We arrived at these insights through a structured approach for decision-making in blockchains. Thus, we provide new tools for researcher and practitioners and pave the way to novel blockchain applications with sound decision-making mechanisms.

Today, more than 100 blockchain projects created to transform government systems are being conducted in more than 30 countries. What leads countries rapidly initiate blockchain projects? I argue that it is because blockchain is a technology directly related to social organization; Unlike other technologies, a consensus mechanism form the core of blockchain. Traditionally, consensus is not the domain of machines but rather humankind. However, blockchain operates through a consensus algorithm with human intervention; once that consensus is made, it cannot be modified or forged. Through utilization of Lawrence Lessig’s proposition that “Code is law,” I suggest that blockchain creates “absolute law” that cannot be violated. This characteristic of blockchain makes it possible to implement social technology that can replace existing social apparatuses including bureaucracy. In addition, there are three close similarities between blockchain and bureaucracy. First, both of them are defined by the rules and execute predetermined rules. Second, both of them work as information processing machines for society. Third, both of them work as trust machines for society. Therefore, I posit that it is possible and moreover unavoidable to replace bureaucracy with blockchain systems. In conclusion, I suggest five principles that should be adhered to when we replace bureaucracy with the blockchain system: 1) introducing Blockchain Statute law; 2) transparent disclosure of data and source code; 3) implementing autonomous executing administration; 4) building a governance system based on direct democracy and 5) making Distributed Autonomous Government(DAG).

Blockchain technology is one of the many disruptive technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that will irrevocably change the way we live and work. These technologies are well embedded in the areas of global finance, health care and defence, to name a few. This review focuses on the relevance of blockchain technology to health care. Blockchain technology will be the unifying platform for sharing patient data currently inaccessible due to the siloed architecture of legacy software systems, and as a result potentially be the basis for precision or individualized patient treatment. It will also strengthen digital security of sensitive patient data that is presently a lucrative target for cyber criminals. In the current COVID-19 environment, clinicians will rely more on telehealth to reduce person-to-person contact. This service can be delivered by the clinical team with confidence in the veracity of the patient data made accessible through the blockchain platform. Smart contracts written on the blockchain platform will reduce the possibility of international humanitarian aid to low- and middle-income countries being misspent. The pharmaceutical supply chain industry is adopting blockchain technology to ensure supply chain provenance. Similarly, the health insurance industry recognizes how the blockchain ecosystem can improve services to its members and expedite reimbursements to clinicians.

Today, blockchain technologies are a separate, rapidly developing area. With rapid development, they open up a number of scientific problems. One of these problems is the problem of reliability, which is primarily associated with the use of cryptographic primitives. The threat of the emergence of quantum computers is now widely discussed, in connection with which the direction of post-quantum cryptography is actively developing. Nevertheless, the most popular blockchain platforms (such as Bitcoin and Ethereum) use asymmetric cryptography based on elliptic curves. Here, cryptographic primitives for blockchain systems are divided into four groups according to their functionality: keyless, single-key, dual-key, and hybrid. The main attention in the work is paid to the most significant cryptographic primitives for blockchain systems: keyless and single-key. This manuscript discusses possible scenarios in which, during practical implementation, the mathematical foundations embedded in the algorithms for generating a digital signature and encrypting data using algorithms based on elliptic curves are violated. In this case, vulnerabilities arise that can lead to the compromise of a private key or a substitution of a digital signature. We consider cases of vulnerabilities in a blockchain system due to incorrect use of a cryptographic primitive, describe the problem, formulate the problem statement, and assess its complexity for each case. For each case, strict calculations of the maximum computational costs are given when the conditions of the case under consideration are met. Among other things, we present a new version of the encryption algorithm for data stored in blockchain systems or transmitted between blockchain systems using elliptic curves. This algorithm is not the main blockchain algorithm and is not included in the core of modern blockchain systems. This algorithm allows the use of the same keys that system users have in order to store sensitive user data in an open blockchain database in encrypted form. At the same time, possible vulnerabilities that may arise from incorrect implementation of this algorithm are considered. The scenarios formulated in the article can be used to test the reliability of both newly created blockchain platforms and to study long-existing ones.

The block chain has many unique characteristics, like decentralization, stability, openness and transparency. We can apply block chain in many fields of railway to improve the comprehensive efficiency and benefit, such as railway passenger and freight service, engineering construction, big data sharing and so on. With the gradual completion of data service platform, big data lake and cloud computing in China Railway, these foundations can support the railway block chain application. The paper analyzed the development status and existing problems of block chain at home and abroad. Through the multidimensional analysis for the mainstream block chain platform architecture, the thesis gets the architecture selection of the railway block chain platform. Based on the hyperledger fabric, we propose the technical architecture and overall scheme for the railway block chain service platform respectively. The paper also designs the implementation path for the platform application construction. This research plays an important role and significance in promoting the block chain technology applying and developing in the railway field.

Even in the twenty-first century, gender bias and other forms of discrimination in the workplace have been a concern. Women, persons of color, and other minorities sometimes have trouble getting a callback from recruiters or finding employment. By providing opportunities for them, diversity and inclusion contribute to the advancement of many social groupings. A diverse workforce also boosts the company’s productivity and performance significantly, and improves the economy. At an organizational level, we can undoubtedly eradicate these biases even though doing so on a personal level is challenging. Block chain is a young technology that holds the potential to solve this problem. Block chain is a decentralized, immutable database that makes it easier to track assets and record transactions in a corporate network. This shared ledger eliminates the duplication of effort that is typical of conventional corporate networks by simply recording transactions once. Because all network paiticipants must agree that the data is accurate, block chain offers higher security. It is possible to create a block chain-based employment platform where each candidate has their own unique identity, eliminating the possibility of biases and allowing candidates to be evaluated only on their qualifications, and this is what this study seeks to do, despite the wide adoption of block-chain today very few researches are investigating its potential impact on the hiring industry, a gap this paper seeks to fill. In this study we practically designed a block chain based hiring platform that is discreet and deliberately skewed it to hinder hiring based on gender and other discriminatory factors, we went ahead to conduct an altcorrespondence testing of the platform with recruiters using the block-chain based platform and a react based hiring platform. Our methodology allowed us access to the internal decision processes which most researchers are not aware of, and we could see how the type of underlying technology (In this case blockchain)platform influenced the decision of the recruiters.